Objective To investigate the mechanism of action of Huzhang Qingmai decoction (HZQMY) on the improvement of cognitive function in mice with chronic cerebral ischemia from the perspective of intestinal flora. Methods A mouse model of chronic cerebral ischemia was established by placing microcoils around the bilateral common carotid arteries to induce bilateral carotid artery stenosis (BCAS). After 12 weeks of intragastric administration, the cognitive function of the mice was measured by the Morris water maze; the myelin damage was analyzed by LFB staining; The contents of the cecum of the mice in each group were extracted and analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results The results of the water maze experiment showed that the mice in the HZQMY group had a significantly shorter escape latency, increased the number of crossings platform and the percentage of target quadrants. LFB staining showed that the white matter damage in the model group was severe; the white matter damage in the HZQMY group was milder. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing showed that compared with the model group, the abundance of Verrucomicrobiota, Akkermansia, and ErysiPelatoclostridium capsulatum in the intestinal flora in HZQMY group was significantly reduced (P<0.05), while the abundances of Eubacterium_xylanoPhilum and Allobaculum were significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusion The protective effect of HZQMY, which has the effect of improving cognitive function in mice with chronic cerebral ischemia, may be related to the regulation of intestinal flora in mice with chronic cerebral ischemia.

Objective To explore the mechanism of motherwort in the treatment of nerve injury. Methods The active components of motherwort were obtained by searching TCMSP and BATMAN-TCM databases. The action targets of candidate compounds were collected and predicted from TCMSP and SwissTargetPrediction (STP) databases. The target genes corresponding to the active components of motherwort were obtained by using the standardized database of disease targets (Uniprot). The potential targets of motherwort in the treatment of nerve injury were obtained by mapping the disease genes of nerve injury with the three databases of Genecards, DisGenet and OMIM. The network topology analysis software Cytoscape 3.6.0 was used to construct the action target network of motherwort active components. The protein interaction platform database (STRING) was used to construct the interaction relationship between action targets. The target protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by introducing Cytoscape 3.6.0 software. Through STRING database, GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were carried out to analyze the target points of motherwort in the treatment of nerve injury. Results 19 active components were screened from motherwort, involving 654 action targets, including 426 action targets related to nerve injury and 6 key targets. These target genes were mainly involved in biological regulation, oxidative stress response and cell communication and other biological processes. Molecular functions were mainly related to protein binding, ion binding and catalytic reduction. They were enriched outside the cell membrane. Its mechanism was related to signal pathways such as MAPK, Toll-like receptor, PI3K-Akt, TNF, IL-17, and apoptosis. Conclusion The active components of motherwort may play a protective role on nerve injury through anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis and promoting cell growth.

Objective:To analyze the advantages of IPSA combined with increasing cervical center dose in intracavitary and interstitial brachytherapy (IC/IS) for locally advanced cervical cancer.Methods:A total of 46 stage Ⅱ B cervical cancer patients with, local lesion size≥5 cm after 45 Gy/25f external intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) were recruited. Uterine tandem and needles were implanted, CT was performed, and then HR-CTV, rectum, bladder, sigmoid colon and the area of cervix increased dose (HR-cervix) were delineated, IPSA was used for optimization. According to whether the dose of HR-cervix was increased or not, all patients were divided into IC/IS+ HR-cervix group (group A) and IC/IS group (group B). The differences in dosimetric parameters were compared between two groups. Results:The relative uterine tandem dwell time was significantly extended in group A ( P<0.001). In group B, the V 150% and V 200% volumes of HR-cervix were increased from 63.94% and 30.80% to 91.54% and 64.06%. The D 90% and D 100% in group A were significantly lower than those in group B (both P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in organ at risk (OAR) dose. Conclusion:IPSA combined with increasing cervical center dose can meet the HR-CTV D 90% dose requirement, normal tissue dose limits, and can escalate the doses to local areas of the cervix.

Brachythrapy is a technique to implant radioactive isotype into or near tumors.The obvious properties of brachytherapy are a very high dose distribution of center,and rapid dose attenuation with the increasing of distance.Brachytherapy generally includes three major categories:low dose rate,high dose rate and pulse dose rate.The most significant clinical value of brachytherapy is that it could create dose distribution to tumor tissues,but decreased radiation injury of normal tissues close to tumor.The development of the clinical brachytherapy technique is always involved in the radiobiological characteristics.The basic concepts involving clinical brachytherapy radiobiology mainly includes:dose-rate effect,repair of radiation injury,re-oxygenation,cell cycle redistribution and repopulation.An amount of translational medical approach is needed to guide the application of clinical brachytherapy by exploring the interaction between brachytherapy radiobiology and clinical brachytherapy effect,as well as taking advantage of brachytherapy radiobiological characteristics.The ultimate goal is to improve tumor local control rate,reduce the occurrence of adverse reactions,and improve patients' overall survival.

Objective To screen and prepare a broad-spectrum monoclonal antibody against Strep-tococcus pneumoniae ( S. pneumoniae) surface protein A ( PspA) and to evaluate its potential in clinical prac-tice. Methods Hybridoma cells were screened and inoculated into the abdominal cavities of BALB/c mice to prepare antibodies in ascites. Monoclonal antibodies were obtained by ammonium sulfate precipitation and protein A affinity chromatography and then identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Their specificity, iso-forms and killing activities in vitro were analyzed. Results A broad-spectrum monoclonal antibody that rec-ognized PspA subclasses 2, 3 and 4 was obtained. Its in vitro killing rate against S. pneumoniae reached 40. 3％. Conclusions A broad-spectrum monoclonal antibody that could specifically bind to PspA was suc-cessfully prepared with a strong in vitro killing activity. This study provided reference for clinical diagnosis of S. pneumoniae-related diseases, quality assessment of S. pneumoniae vaccines and further research on mono-clonal antibody therapeutics.

Objective: To investigate the self-reported prevalence, clinical characteristics, complications of allergic rhinitis (AR) and the sensitization of outdoor air pollen allergens in children in the Inner mongolia grassland region. Methods: A multistage, stratified and random clustered sampling with a face-to-face interview survey study in children from 0 to 17 years old was performed together with 10 common allergen skin prick tests (SPT) and measurements of the daily pollen count in 6 regions in the Inner mongolia grassland region from May to August of 2015. SAS 9.4 software was used for data analysis. Results: A total of 2 443 subjects completed the study. The self-reported prevalence of AR was 26.6%. The prevalence of boys was higher than that of girls (28.8% vs 24.3%, χ²=6.157, P<0.05). Subjects from urban areas showed higher prevalence than rural areas (34.7% vs 18.8%, χ²=79.107, P<0.05). There was significant regional difference in the prevalence of AR among the six areas investigated (χ²=221.416, P<0.05). The main clinical symptoms of AR were sneezing (88.2%) and nasal congestion (78.6%). Among combined diseases, asthma accounted for 16.5% (107/650), rhinoconjunctivitis accounted for 47.9% (311/650). The peak season of AR was April and July, with the top SPT positive allergens of Artemisia species and chenopodium in this area. Conclusions The prevalence AR in children in the Inner mongolia grassland region is extremely high. Sneezing is the main clinical symptom. Rhinoconjunctivitis is the most common combined disease. High summer and autumn pollen exposure is the main cause of AR.

Objective To discuss the dosimetric advantage of computed tomography-guided interstitial brachytherapy compared with the conventional intracavitary brachytherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer,offering a more advantageous clinical treatment approach. Methods Twenty-eight locally advanced cervical cancer patients with bulky tumors ( tumor size>5 cm) after external beam radiotherapy received computed tomography-guided interstitial brachytherapy. Dosimetric outcomes of the current study, including the total dose ( external beam radiotherapy+ brachytherapy ) D90 for the HR-CTV and D2cc for the bladder,rectum, and sigmoid, were compared with a former patient group consisting of 30 patients who received the conventional intracavitary brachytherapy ( uterine tandem+ ovoid pairs ) . Results The mean D90 value for HR-CTV in the intracavitary brachytherapy group and interstitial brachytherapy group were (76.9±5. 7) and ( 88.1± 3. 3) Gy, respectively. The D2cc for the bladder, rectum, and sigmoid in the intracavitary brachytherapy group and interstitial brachytherapy group were (84.7±6. 8) Gy,(69.2±4. 2) Gy,(67.8±4. 5) Gy and (81.8±6. 5) Gy,(6.8±4. 0) Gy,(64.8±4. 1) Gy,respectively.1-year local tumor control rate in the intracavitary brachytherapy group and interstitial brachytherapy group were 59. 3％ and 85. 2％, respectively. Conclusions CT-guided interstitial brachytherapy shows a significant dosimetric advantage compared with the conventional intracavitary brachytherapy, and is, thereby, clinically possible feasible. However,the long term curative effect and toxicity need to be further investigated.

Objective To investigate the relationship between total serum IgG concentration and tumor progression in patients with gastric cancer.Methods From January 2010 to May 2017,a total of 90 patients with gastric cancer in Sun Simiao Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine were enrolled as study subjects and 90 age-and-sex-matched adults from normal physical examination were enrolled as control subjects.The serum IgG subgroup and total IgG concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The relationships between serum IgG concentration in patients with gastric cancer and clinicopathologic features were analyzed.The numbers of plasma cells with CD138 antibody in both tumor and non-cancerous tissues were evaluated by immunohistochemistry.Results The total serum IgG concentration in patients with gastric cancer was significantly lower than that in healthy control group [(923.6±290.5) mg/dl vs.(1 072.5 ±298.6) mg/dl],with a significant difference (t =3.391,P =0.001).The total serum IgG and IgG1 concentrations were correlated with lymphatic metastasis (t =3.585,P ＜ 0.001;t =3.545,P ＜ 0.001) and gastric cancer stages (t =3.669,P ＜0.001;t =3.401,P ＜0.001).Furthermore,the CD138 + plasma cells in tumor tissues were significantly fewer than those in non-cancerous gastric mucosa (88.7 ± 31.9 vs.108.5 ± 33.4),with significant differences (t =2.778,P =0.007).Multivariate analysis suggested that total serum IgG concentration (HR =0.411,95％ CI:0.094-0.989,P =0.011) and lymph node metastasis (HR =3.148,95％ CI:1.988-5.297,P ＜ 0.001) were independent predictors for poor prognosis.Conclusion Decreased total serum IgG concentration is closely related to tumor progression and poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer,which indicates that the impaired humoral immunity is associated with tumor progression.

Objective To analyze the dosimetric advantages of CT-guided interstitial brachytherapy for recurrent cervical cancer. Methods A total of 16 patients with recurrent cervical cancer after radical surgery and adjuvant external beam radiotherapy received interstitial brachytherapy with CT-guided implantation of metal needles. The high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV) was given 36 Gy in 6 fractions.D90for HR-CTV in the brachytherapy and the cumulative D2 cm3values for the bladder,rectum,and sigmoid colon in the previous external beam radiotherapy and the brachytherapy were analyzed.Results The mean D90value for HR-CTV was 52.5±3.3 Gy. The cumulative D2 cm3values for the bladder, rectum, and sigmoid colon were 85.6±5.8 Gy,71.6±6.4 Gy,and 69.6±5.9 Gy,respectively.The mean number of metal needles was 6.1±1.5 in each brachytherapy. The actual 1-year overall survival and local control were 81% and 69%, respectively. Conclusions CT-guided interstitial brachytherapy for recurrent cervical cancer shows good dose-volume histogram parameters and few complications, so it may be clinically feasible. However,its long-term clinical efficacy needs further observation.

Objective To examine the dosimetric advantages of three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT)-guided interstitial brachytherapy (BT) for target volume and surrounding normal tissue in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer,and to provide a simple and effective clinical treatment approach.Methods A total of 52 patients who had poor tumor response to external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with a residual tumor greater than 5 cm at the time of BT were included.The patients were treated by 3D CT-guided interstitial BT using a hybrid applicator comprised of uterine tandem and free metal needles.The high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV),intermediate-risk clinical target volume (IR-CTV),and organs at risk (OAR) were contoured.The total dose,including external beam radiotherapy and high dose-rate BT,was biologically normalized to conventional 2 Gy fractions (EQD2).D90and D100for both HR-CTV and IR-CTV,and D2 ccfor the bladder,rectum,and sigmoid were analyzed.Results The mean D90value for HR-CTV was 88.4±3.5 Gy.The D2 ccfor the bladder,rectum,and sigmoid were 81.1±5.6,65.7±5.1,and 63.1±5.4 Gy,respectively.D2 cc≤90 Gy for the bladder and D2 cc≤70 Gy for the sigmoid were observed in all the patients.D2 cc≤70 Gy for the rectum was observed in 89% of patients.Conclusions 3DCT-guided interstitial BT has a significant dosimetric advantage for target volume accompanied by few minor complications,and thereby may be clinically feasible for treating locally advanced cervical cancer.However,its long-term efficacy and possible toxicities will require further clinical observation.